


Sacked

by sophh



Series: Keep Taking My Breath Away: Inktober 2020 [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluffy Ending, Fremione - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Sort of? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophh/pseuds/sophh
Summary: When Hermione is fired from the Ministry, Fred reassures her that he'll always be there for her.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Series: Keep Taking My Breath Away: Inktober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947601
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Sacked

**Author's Note:**

> Inktober Day 2!
> 
> Prompt: wisp

Wisps of smoke curled out of the chimney and into the grey winter sky. Hermione kept glancing up at them, trying to focus on them before they disappeared into nothingness.

She didn't want to go inside the house to which the chimney was attached. She didn't want to face Fred. She didn't want to have to tell him that she had lost her job.

In hindsight, she probably should have seen it coming. The Ministry had never looked too kindly on her pro-Elf legislation—it was only a matter of time before they got fed up with her. She had only hoped that it might be later rather than sooner.

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and shivered as she continued to move about. There was still a thin layer of snow on the ground from the night before, and she walked the same path so many times in her pacing that she could see the grass beneath. The greenish figure eight stood in stark contrast to the white snow.

Before long, the redhead she was dreading facing had poked his head out of the front door. "There you are, Hermione!" he called, grinning madly. "I thought you'd be home by now."

"Right, well, I was just..." Hermione gestured vaguely at her surroundings. "I was just enjoying the outdoors."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, come inside and get warm. I'll make you some tea."

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. She couldn't put off telling Fred forever.

...

Crookshanks greeted her with a purr as soon as she walked in the door. She reached down and scratched him behind the ears before moving into the living room and settling onto the couch.

"How was your day?" Fred asked, setting a cup of tea down in front of her.

Crookshanks rubbed against her ankles as she tried not to grimace at the memory of her boss calling her into his office to sack her. "It was...business as usual," she said carefully. She placed her hands around the cup and sighed at the relief that the heat brought.

"You're being awfully cryptic," Fred commented. He took a sip from his own cup of tea, then gazed at her thoughtfully. "That's not like you, love."

"I'm just...not sure that it's something I can talk about yet, Fred," Hermione said softly.

"Because you can't, or because you don't want to?"

Though Fred smiled as he asked this, Hermione had the unnerving sense that he knew she was hiding something from him.

"I—" She took a deep breath and told herself not to worry. It was just a job—it could be replaced. And Fred wouldn't be disappointed in her—he loved her. The latter reminder was just what she needed to push the words out. "I lost my job today. My boss said I was 'causing too many problems.'"

She fixed her eyes at a spot on the wall just above his head and waited for his reaction. A moment later, Fred let out a snort, then a chuckle. Hermione's chest swelled with indignation. "It isn't funny, Fred!"

"No, you're right, it isn't," Fred agreed, his face quickly growing solemn. "I just found it amusing that you put off coming inside for so long, yet told me the news almost immediately."

Hermione's fingers flew to her mouth. "You saw me pacing out there?"

"'Course I did," Fred said. "That's why I finally called out to you. I was starting to worry for the poor grass."

Hermione couldn't help herself—she let out a small giggle at his words. That seemed to loosen her up immensely, and before she knew it, she was laughing so hard that her sides hurt.

"I was so worried about telling you, Fred," she gasped, "but it all seems so silly now."

Fred crossed to where she sat and held out his arms. Hermione stood and allowed him to pull her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry that you were so worried, love, but you know that I'm always here for you."

Hermione nodded against his chest. "I know."

He pulled back, then lifted her chin so that she was forced to look into his eyes. "I mean it, Hermione. You never have to be afraid to tell me anything."

She circled her arms around his neck, pulling his lips down to hers in a gentle kiss before whispering, "Thank you."

A glance over at the fireplace reminded Hermione of the tendrils of smoke that she had been watching earlier. Just as those wisps had faded away, so too had her worries, leaving her with a sense of peace and the knowledge that she was so very, very loved.


End file.
